# Port - What should I try as my first ?



## Bubba -NJ (Dec 6, 2005)

I did a search and read alot , but now I'm confused as to which I should try first , Ruby , Tawny , LBV or Vintage . I would like to start not too expensively(around $20) . Something that goes great with a good cigar . My wine of choice is Riesling , if that helps . Haven't really had any red wine because what I remember my Dad having usually had a touch of a vinegar scent to it . Any help is always appreciated .


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## NullSmurf (Feb 19, 2006)

Bubba -NJ said:


> I did a search and read alot , but now I'm confused as to which I should try first , Ruby , Tawny , LBV or Vintage . I would like to start not too expensively(around $20) . Something that goes great with a good cigar . My wine of choice is Riesling , if that helps . Haven't really had any red wine because what I remember my Dad having usually had a touch of a vinegar scent to it . Any help is always appreciated .


I'm also new to port. However, I think the Tawny comes in several price ranges relative to its age. Unless you have a really sensitive palate, go with the least expensive.


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## Corona Gigante-cl (Sep 8, 2005)

Bubba -NJ said:


> I did a search and read alot , but now I'm confused as to which I should try first , Ruby , Tawny , LBV or Vintage . I would like to start not too expensively(around $20) . Something that goes great with a good cigar . My wine of choice is Riesling , if that helps . Haven't really had any red wine because what I remember my Dad having usually had a touch of a vinegar scent to it . Any help is always appreciated .


The vinegar scent you associate with red wine was probably due to the fact that is was not of a very high quality. That won't be a problem with port.

There is a big difference between ruby and tawny ports. Ruby is a lot sweeter. Tawny is more like sherry. I don't care much for Tawny port but I love ruby port.

Port is most commonly drunk at the end of a big meal. It's very rich, sweet, and higher in alcohol than red wine (around 18%-20% abv).

$20 spent at a good wine merchant or liquor store will probably get you started. I'd recommend staying away from vintage since you won't get a good one for $20.

Whether or not you would "appreciate" a good port is a matter of opinion. The first port I ever drank was a ten-year-old (at the time) bottle of 1975 Warres I bought for my father as a Christmas gift. 1975 was one of the great vintages of this century, apparently. It was the most incredible thing I have ever tasted and I remember it still. Goes for around $150 a bottle now and connoisseurs are still buying it to "lay down" rather than to drink.

Hope this is helpful.


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## TU09 (Mar 26, 2006)

I would suggest trying a vintage character port; I personally enjoy Sandeman's Founder's Reserve although it isn't terribly popular amongst afficianados. In the same vein, many people enjoy Graham's Six Grapes while I am not a fan. Actually, I disliked six grapes enough to go ahead and dispose of the bottle in one sitting, didn't think it deserved to be saved. The moral is, everybody has different tastes and you need to try a variety and either of these deserves a shot. Note I have never had vintage port so my opinions are not those of a connoisseur.


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## Bubba -NJ (Dec 6, 2005)

Thank you for your replies , hoping to get a few more recommendations .


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## Ron1YY (Mar 3, 2005)

You may want to start with 

Fonseca Bin 27
Grahams Ruby
Grahams Tawney

All are good starters and under the $20 mark where I live. Good LBV's and Vintages tend to run higher than $20, but IMHO are worth it to get. There are several wine sites the you can order from and get good pricing.

It is another slope to go down and it goes perfectly with cigars and after dinner deserts.

Ron


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## cigar no baka (Sep 7, 2005)

Since I swig port directly from the bottle and consume large quantites when I am smoking a cigar, i stick with Fonseca Bin 27.


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## zamco17 (Mar 24, 2006)

If you are looking for something around 20, you need to try Fonseca Late Bottled Vintage. Its about as good as gets until you spend about 45.


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## hatred (May 17, 2006)

if you are new to Ports, i would suggest taking a handful of recommendations and picking up a couple bottles to see what you like. Ports can very tremendously from one region to another, so you might want to skip any classifications until you can remember a bottle or two because they were that good. as for recommendations, along with those posted, i've had a couple good bottles of Cockburns and Axe Hill (South African).


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## TU09 (Mar 26, 2006)

hatred said:


> if you are new to Ports, i would suggest taking a handful of recommendations and picking up a couple bottles to see what you like. Ports can very tremendously from one region to another, so you might want to skip any classifications until you can remember a bottle or two because they were that good. as for recommendations, along with those posted, i've had a couple good bottles of Cockburns and Axe Hill (South African).


More importantly, Port varies within a region. Port is produced in the Duoro Valley of Portugal. Port _style _wines can be made in other locations but are not really Port. The one South African _Port Style _wine I have had, made like an LBV, tasted much different than its Portugese counterparts. I don't remember the brand but in any case, anything labeled Port or Porto from outside Portugal simply is not what it pretends to be. It is like the manufacturers of economy wines useing French appellations on American wines of the same varietal (such as labeling a cheap California Chardonay as Chablis).


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

As a riesling lover and a port fanatic, I would suggest the Taylor 10 Tawny in the $20 range. It may be a few bucks more, but in that ball park. If you live near a Trader Joe's, the 1987 Porto Morgado for $10.99 is actually quite good. A decent vintage port otherwise is going to be closer to $50 to start. 

Dow's 10 year Tawny is good too, slightly different profile (Dow, Fonseca, and Taylor are the big guns in port), so it's a toss up between the two. Graham's Six Grapes, anything Austrailan/Californian, or the low end ports, I would stay away from until you have a taste in port. Why ruin a developing pallette, drinking crap?

Oh ya, Grahams has a good LBV in that price range too.


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## dyj48 (May 1, 2006)

I agree with TU09, there's a world of difference between American made port and port from other parts of the world. The best IMO is from the area known as Douro Valley around Oporto, Portugal. I'd recommend a link for your education on port, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_wine. I think that will help you understand the complexities of port. Rubys are generally cheaper than Tawny Port.

I prefer Tawny anytime over Ruby Port. A great way to start drinking port is to try a port known as Colheita Port. You can get a bottle of 1989 Colheita for around $20-24. Port keeps for a while, so you might want to invest in an airtight stopper which prevents the port from degrading.

I have a couple of cases of the 89 Colheita and it's my regular drink with my fave smokes....

Have a great time with it!!


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## ATLHARP (May 3, 2005)

I would start with either Taylor-Fladgate or Graham's Ruby Port. They can usually be found cheaper than most ports and they both taste wonderful. If you can bear something more around the $20 range I would grab either Graham's Six Grape or Taylor Fladgate LBV- both of these are superb ports!


ATL


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## Bubba -NJ (Dec 6, 2005)

I finally was able to get a recommended bottle of Fonseca Bin 27 . Wasn't as strong as I thought it was going to be , was expecting a heavier brandy taste and not as much fruitiness . After a few tastes I realized to take it easy and sip it , not gulp it , sips tasted better and weren't overwhelming to my tastebuds . Had it with a BBF from 2000 on Saturday night . I drank it at room temperature . Should I chill it or is room temp the proper way to drink port ?


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## galaga (Sep 18, 2003)

Bubba -NJ said:


> I finally was able to get a recommended bottle of Fonseca Bin 27 . Wasn't as strong as I thought it was going to be , was expecting a heavier brandy taste and not as much fruitiness . After a few tastes I realized to take it easy and sip it , not gulp it , sips tasted better and weren't overwhelming to my tastebuds . Had it with a BBF from 2000 on Saturday night . I drank it at room temperature . Should I chill it or is room temp the proper way to drink port ?


Room temp with a BBF is near perfect.  It also goes well with some dark chocolate or some grapes and stilton cheese. Or make some peach/strawberry shortcake and whipped cream and splash a little port on that. Make you :sl your granny.


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## TU09 (Mar 26, 2006)

galaga said:


> Room temp with a BBF is near perfect.  It also goes well with some dark chocolate or some grapes and stilton cheese. Or make some peach/strawberry shortcake and whipped cream and splash a little port on that. Make you :sl your granny.


Agree 100% with the dark chocolate and grapes, it is really a great wine with rich desserts. While I enjoy most cheeses and have sampled a wide variety, but I still can't eat Stilton, even though it is the most popular food pairing with port.


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## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

Bubba -NJ said:


> I drank it at room temperature . Should I chill it or is room temp the proper way to drink port ?


Room temperature is a loaded question. I would certainly put it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes, bottle opened if possible. Tawny port can be served slightly warmer than vintage, but you are doing a disservice to ANY wine if you drink it at 70 degrees. If you find the port to taste too cold, it will warm up quick. If it's too warm, you are SOL. A bottle of port at 50 degrees is a good start.

Any vintage port newer than 1960's should breathe for at least 2-3 hours. Even the bottles of port I have had from the late 19th century or early 20th century improved with 45+ minutes of breathing. The people that say otherwise probably haven't had many ports that old.

Drinking something like Fonseca Bin 27, assuming the bottle will be finished in one sitting, which is recommended for two people. I would open it 12 hours before drinking. One good way is to open it before work and then enjoy it with your family and friends when you get home. If you are going to have it in multiple sittings, pour what you intend to drink into a decanter or another bottle.


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## Mister Moo (Sep 8, 2005)

Good luck on your search - it's addictive juice for sure. No shortage of good ports to be had in the $15-$20 zone. Suggestions above all good. I went on a serious tawny port and, particularly, tokay bender in Australia - very popular after dinner sips down under. I was impressed with several ports (and tokays) from South Australia. Hit Tazziedevil with a pm - if he's a port-head (many are, down yonder) he may be a mine of suggestions. Stuff from Rutherglen was particularly good but not easy to find in USA. I boosted the Aussie primer below on a google.  Drink Oz - they're allies.

_Australian Tawny "Ports" are among my favorite values in fortified dessert wines. While these wines have nothing to do with true Port, being made from different grapes in a completely different part of the world, they are very enjoyable drinks on their own terms, and are usually less expensive than true Tawny Ports of similar quality. Australian tawnies are often based on Grenache and/or Shiraz, but may also contain other grapes. Some of my perennial favorite value wines include: Chateau Reynella "Old Cave", Hardy's "Whiskers Blake", Yalumba "Clocktower", and the slightly more expensive, but well-worth-the-money Yalumba "Galway Pipe"._

_While I have never been much of a fan of Liqueur Tokay (I've always preferred to spend my money on the Tawny "Ports" and Liqueur Muscats), the Veritas Tokay Barossa Valley '90 I tasted at the __February WLDG Offline__ has begun to make me change my mind. Liqueur Tokay, like the Tawny "Ports" has nothing at all to do with any of the various European wines and grapes with similar names. Tokay is actually made from the Muscadelle (no relation to Muscat) grape, which is best known as a minor component of the sweet white wines of Sauternes and Barsac. Most Liqueur Tokays that I've tried have tended toward flavors of coffee, toffee, raisins and spice; they aren't for lovers of fresh, fruity wine, but they can be good examples of the flavor profiles acquired by long oak aging. Yalumba Old Sweet White is a fairly widely available example of this style of wine, and if you have the money, you might want to try to find the highly regarded, but more expensive, Chambers Tokays._


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## ky toker (Jun 2, 2005)

I started with a $6 bottle of Taylor that was actually delicious. I usually buy around the $20 range and I'm always pleased.


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